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Eagles to head to Athens in 2012

STATESBORO — Six home games and a trip to Athens to play the Georgia Bulldogs are on the schedule for the 2012 Georgia Southern Football season.

The Eagles open the 2012 campaign with Jacksonville University at Paulson Stadium and play the final game of the regular season against Georgia at Sanford Stadium.

The 2012 non-conference schedule includes Georgia, Jacksonville University and Howard University, with the Dolphins opening the season at Paulson Stadium on Sept. 1. The Bison and Georgia games take place in the last two games of the regular season.

Howard, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, travels from Washington, D.C., to Statesboro for a Nov. 10 game. The Eagles head north the following week for the Nov. 17 game at Georgia.

Jacksonville and Howard both are first-time opponents for the Eagles, while Georgia Southern and Georgia meet for the fifth time in the series. Earning their first top-25 ranking in the history of the program in 2010, the Dolphins also won their second Pioneer Football League title in three years. Howard standout Gary Harrell will lead his alma mater in his first year as the Bison head coach in 2011.

After the season opener with Jacksonville, the Eagles have an off week Sept. 8. Southern Conference play begins at The Citadel on Sept. 15, with the Eagles returning to Paulson Stadium for back-to-back home games against Elon on Sept. 22 and Samford on Sept. 29.

The month of October puts Georgia Southern on the road for three SoCon games. The Eagles head to Cullowhee, N.C., for a contest against Western Carolina on Oct. 6 before returning home to play host to Wofford (Oct. 13). League games at Furman (Oct. 20) and at Chattanooga (Oct. 27) close out the Eagles’ longest road stretch and the month.

Two home games in November bring Appalachian State back to Paulson Stadium on Nov. 3, before the regular season home finale Nov. 10 against Howard.

Having played every four years since 2000, the Eagles and Georgia meet again in Athens on Nov. 17.

Dates for Homecoming, Family Weekend and the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame game will be announced soon.

For more information on Georgia Southern Athletics, go to GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com or get short updates at twitter.com/GSAthletics or facebook.com/GSAthletics.